8 Year Old Mittens Pattern #167

REQUIREMENTS:

YARN: 2-ounces of 4-ply Knitting Worsted, 5-yards contrasting color

NEEDLES: 1-pr. #4 single pointed

RIGHT MITTEN: Starting at the cuff, cast on 40 sts. Work in ribbing of k 1, p 1, for 2½ inches. Now work in the following pattern: ROW 1: Knit 6 sts, p 2, k 4, p 2, k 26 sts. ROW 2: Purl 26 sts, k 2, p 4, k 2, p 6 sts. ROW 3: Knit 6 sts, p 2, slip the next 2 sts onto a dble pt needle and hold in back of work, knit the next 2 sts, knit the 2 sts off the dble pt needle (cable twist), p 2, k 26 sts. ROW 4: Repeat row 2. These 4 rows make the pattern. After 4 rows start the thumb increases. Note: Keep the cable twists going until you come to the tip of the mitten regardless of what you are doing.

THUMB INCREASES: 1st inc: Work over 20 sts in pat-tern, inc. 1 st in each of the next 2 sts, k 18 sts. Next row and every other row: Work back as sts are. 2nd inc: Work over 20 sts, inc. 1 st in next st, k 2, inc. 1 st in next st, k 18 sts. 3rd inc: Work over 20 sts, inc. 1 st in next st, k 4, inc. 1 st in next st, k 18 sts. 4th inc: Work over 20 sts, inc. 1 st in next st, k 6, inc. 1 st in next st, k 18 sts. 5th dec: Work over 20 sts, inc. 1 st in next st, k 8, inc. 1 st in next st, k 18 sts. Next row: Work back as the sts are.

THUMB: Work over 20 sts and place onto a st holder, knit 12 sts and leave on the needle, place the remaining sts onto a 2nd st holder. Cast on 1 st at end of thumb sts, turn and purl back, cast on 1 st. Work in stockinette stitch on the thumb sts for 1¾ inches. Next knit row: Knit 2 sts together across row. Break yarn leaving 6 inches. Thread a darning needle and draw through sts, fasten tightly on wrong side of work. Sew up thumb.

HAND: Place the sts off first st holder onto a needle, tie yarn in, pick up and knit 3 sts on thumb gusset, knit the sts of 2nd st holder. Keeping the pattern work until the mitten measures 4 inches above the ribbing.

TIP DECREASES: 1st dec: * 4 sts, k 2 tog, repeat from * across row. Purl next row. 2nd dec: * k 3 sts, k 2 tog, repeat from * across row. Purl next row. 3rd dec: * k 2 sts, k 2 tog, repeat from * across row. Purl next row. 4th dec: * k 1, k 2 tog, repeat from * across row. Last decrease: Purl 2 sts together across row. Break yarn leaving 10 inches. Finish as tip of thumb.

LEFT MITTEN: Work as the right one until you come to the pattern. ROW 1: Knit 26 sts, p 2, k 4, p 2, k 6 sts. ROW 2: Purl 6 sts, k 2, p 4, k 2, p 26 sts. Work remainder of mitten to correspond. For the first thumb increases start with: Knit 18 sts, inc. 1 st in each of the next 2 sts, work to end of row.

TRIMMING: Thread needle with 4 strands of contrasting color and weave through center of cable. Then thread a darning needle with 2 strands of contrasting color and overcast every other knit row in the first knit st on each side of cable.

This pattern was originally published in Doreen Knitting #101, Two Needle Mittens and has passed into the public domain: the source states these designs "are no longer protected by copyright and you are free to do whatever you would like to do with them." It is reproduced here verbatim, including original vintage terminology, abbreviations, and measurements, which may differ from modern conventions. You can view the original transcription at freevintageknitting.com.